Compression tool



L. H. BURNS JGOMPRES'SION TOOL Sept. 2, 1941.

Filed May 23, 1940 Patented Sept. 2, 1941 COIVHRESSION TOOL Leroy H. Burns, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The National Telephone Supply Company Application May 23, 1940, Serial No. 336,747 6 Claims. (Cl. 140-113) My invention relates in general to compression tools adapted to compress sleeves on wires and more particularly to means for off-setting the bending action in the sleeves produced by the the part of the die or the depressing groove por-- tion on the jaw members of the tool which is most removed from the fulcrum means of the tool moves through a greater path and produces a greater flash of metal upon one side of the sleeve than the part of the die or compressing groove portion of the jaw members less removed from the fulcrum means, with the result that a bending action is produced in the sleeve. As a consequence, when a series of depressions are made in the connectingsleeve, the sleeve becomes somewhat curved. It is obvious that the connecting sleeve which connects the ends of the wires or cables together should be straight in line with the wire or cable itself. In working on this problem, I have observed several facts 1 concerning this bending action. One is that the plane in which the bending occurs is perpendicular to the plane of the tool. Also, it is found that the end of the sleeve moves toward the tool so that the tool is always on the concave side of the bend. In the design of a compression tool, I have found that the sleeve bending increases as the dies or depressing groove portions in the jaw members of the tool which receive the sleeve are positioned closer to thafulcrum line of the jaw members. Furthermore, it is found that the deeper the compression or the press, the greater the flowing of the metal of the sleeve, with the result that more bending occurs. Conversely, a

slight compression or press made with a tool having a depressing sleeve groove spaced quite a distance from the fulcrum of the jaw members shows very little bending. Of course,in a long sleeve the bending is more noticeable than in a short sleeve. In designing a toggle action compression tool for use with extra strong wires and with sleeves to provide the necessary strong holding power, I find that the tool must of necessity be of a nature as to increase the bending action in the sleeve. The results of a long series of experiments show that a tool and sleeve could not be developed with strong holding power without excessive sleeve bending produced by the compression by the movable jaw members of the tool. Development work was then initiated to reduce this sleeve bending by other means, and

a I finally developed what I call a straightening 55 strap" principle. The application of this principle to the tool reduces the bending of the sleeve by setting up an opposing bending action to oflset the bending action produced by the com- 5 pression of the movable jaw members of the tool. The straightening strap" principle makes use of the fact that while the dies or the depressing sleeve grooves in the movable jaw members of a toggle action compression tool approach each other in pressing the sleeve, they also move tool. That is to say, the sleeve is carried toward the fulcrum or the central portion of the tool while the press or depression is being made. The

"straightening strap" principle comprises a suitable placed edge portion or impediment to the movement of the sleeve toward the fulcrum or central portion of the tool, with the result that while the sleeve is being pressed, a slight reverse bend is made in it which oil-sets the bending incident to the compression operation of the tool.

Therefore, an object of my invention is to provide in a toggle action tool for producing a slight reverse bend in the sleeve which off-sets the :bending action made by the compression of the jaw members of the tool.

Another object of my invention is to provide for adjustably varying the amount of the reverse 3 bend in the sleeve being depressed. 1

- Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a toggle action compression tool embodying the features of my invention;

jaw members of my tool, but showing the reverse side thereof as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary and cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a connecting sleeve having a series of compressions made therein and illus- 5 trates the manner in which a sleeve bends without the provision of my invention being incorporated in a toggle action compression rtooli Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a compressed connecting sleeve as produced by a toggle action compression tool embodying my straightening strap principle;

Figure '7 is a front view of a modified connect- 7 ing link having my straightening strap" principle embodied therein;

toward the fulcrum or the central part of the Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the movable thereon for'engaging the link. l4 and having;

' utilized to keep the heads o'f 'the'boltsfrom tumactuated by handles 25 and 24- whichpivotally' ates the movable jaw. members II and I! to their 2|, after which the sleeve is compressed at intermembers I I and. l2.

Figure 1.

pressing a sleeve about a wire the operator be- Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken along tool so that the tool is always on the concave side the line -8 of Figure '1: of the bend.

Figure 9 is a view of an adjustable "straightening strap" principle incorporated in a toggle acemploy to make a slight reverse bend in the sleeve tion compression tool; and a to offset the bending made by the compression Figure is a cross-sectional view, taken along itself comprises a le v a in P i n 2 havthe line |e of Figure 9, ing an upper edge portion spaced from the jaw With 1 reference to the several views of the members ii and I2. The sleeve enga g D drawing, the toggle a'ction compression tool com- 32 be integrally formed with the 1111! prises a pair of movable jaw members II and I2, 10 and maybe constructed by 1111111118 out link members [3 and posmoned on opposite stantially semi-circular portion 33 in the link I! sides of the movable jaw members. and fulcrum l adjacent the l members II and I! so members I! and I4 extending through the movthat the sleeve e ng portion 32 gives a reable jaw members and the li k member; verse bending action rather than-a shearing acforming the fulcrum means for the movable jaw time As ShOWn in figures 1 and 3, h ve enga in p rtion 32 may have opposed side walls formed by the notch 34 therein. The engaging I or top edge surface of the sleeve'engaging portion 1 32 in the bottom of the notch 34 is positioned in th to hr 6 e1 'rrelative alignmeninto thebottom edges of the 533: in 312 1 1111: il flog: iufiffifi aic o 'sleeve'gmves and that as the sleeve to the link is by means eta screw is maybe" The fulcrum members II and I may be in the form of bolts or threaded members having heads toward the sleeve engaging portion 32 while the press is being made, the bottom edge of the sleeve engages the top edge surface of the sleeve engaging portion 32 and makes a slight reverse bend in thesleeve which dflsets the bend made'by the compression itself. The sleeve in Figure 6 represents a sleeve as made by a toggle action com- 30 pression tool having my straightening strap principle embodied therein. Inasmuch as the wall thickness of the sleeveengaging portion 32 is relatively thin one may-carefully regulate the amount of the reverse bend by filing or otherwise making the height of the top edge thereof just right with reference to the bottom edges of the sleeve'grooves I s and in the movable jaws of the tool.

In Figures 7 and 8 I show a modified link 38 having a sleeve engaging portion 39 with a small arcuate undercut 40 adapted to be placed next adjacent to the jaw members to prevent the ing or becoming loose. The inner :edges of the movable jaw members and fil areprovided with semi-circular grooves II and- 24 constituting opposing compressing portionsj'for. and compressing the sleeve on the The movable jaw member's H and-J2 maybe turn about a fulcrum 28 andwhichz-are pivotally connected to the movable jaw"'-members llan'd l2, respectively, atthe fulcruin'pointsid and 21. j The termination of he movement ofthe. handles 25 and 24 inwardly is governed by the stops 2!. In operation, the movement of the handles II and 24 outwardlyto theiropen position actuopen position asfshown in Figure 2, and the movement of'the handles 25 and '24 inwardly causes 40 the movable jaw members if and II to move inwardly to their closed position as shown in action as opposed to a reverse bending action. The main difierence between the arrangement in Figures 7 and 8 over that shown in Figures land In joining the ends of wires, such for example, I as the wires 22-.and a in Figures 3 and 4, the p ends thereof are inserted into a connecting sleevevals between the opposing compressing 'portions the sleeve engaging portion is and 20 of the movable jaw members. In comment of my mventmn in that it may be le adjustable to regulate the amount of the reverse gins in the ,middle of the sleeve and works outwardly for the reason that the sleeve elongates longitudinally. The part of the pressing grooves l9 and 20 most removed from the fulcrum means Ii and It moves through a greater path and producesan extra or greater flash of metal on the sleeve than the part of the pressing grooves I! and 20 less removed from the fulcrum means. The flow of metal producing the extra flash of metal sets up a bending action in the sleeve to engaging member, indicated by the reference character 44, is adjustable and comprises a plate 55. positioned on the sidev of the tool having the reverse side of the tool as shown in Figure 1. In the adjustable form of my invention, the lock clip H, as shown in Figure 2, is replaced by the adjustable sleeve enga in plate 44. which is adjustably connected to the link l4 b mea make the ends 1 the Sleeve bend Ward the screw 45 which extends through an glongaa floz Thus, the reference character 10 represents the m the sleeve engagmg plate The sleeve extra flash of metal produc d by the P the gaging plate 44 also constitutes a lock against p i grooves 9 and most removed from the the turning of the heads of the bolts l5 and It fulcrum means l5 and I! and the reference char- The upper engaging edge 41 5 t adjustabl acter 3| represents the flash of the metal proplate 44 may be adjusted n down have duoed by th part of h pressing grooves a to the bottom of the groove compressing portions 20 which are less removed from the fulcrum is and 20 to regulate the ainount of the reverse means. The roducing of a greater or extra flash bend. The link onthe opposite side of the jaw of metal on the outside of the sleeve over that 7 bers in Figure 10 i ,i11 tr t d by th g.

on the inside causes the metal on the outside to elongate more thanthe metal on the inside, thus resultingin bending the sleeve in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane 'of the tool with the ends of the sleeve moving toward the not have'the sleeve engaging portion provided thereon.

The straightening strap principle which I as shown by the dash-dot line in Figure 3, moves.

sleeve engaging portion from giving a shearing.

In Figures 9 and 10, I show a; modified arrange.

bending. In this form of my invention the sleeve heads of the bolts I5 and it rather than on the Although I have described my invention with a I the details of construction and the combination.

and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toggle action compression tool adapted to compress sleeves on wires, the combination of a pair of movable jaw members each having opposing compressing portions for engaging and compressing the sleeves on the wires, link means positioned adjacent the .jaw members and relatively close to the opposing compressing portions, two spaced substantially parallel fulcrum-means engaging-the link means and pivotally supporting the jaw members, the part of the compressing portions most removed from the fulcrum means moving through a greater path and producing a greater flow of metal in the compressed sleeve than the part of the compressing portions less removed from the fulcrum means and thus setting up a bending action in the sleeve, and sleeve engaging means having an edge portion spaced from-the jaw members, said compressing portions upon the closing of the jaw members moving in a direction toward the sleeve engaging means and causing the sleeve to engage the said edge portion thereof to substantially off-set the bending action in the sleeve produced by the compression thereof by the movable jaw members, said compression portions of the movable jaw members and said edge portion of the sleeve engaging means directly transmitting at spaced distances apart opposing bending forces to the sleeve for maintaining the sleeve substantially straight. v

2. In a toggle action compression tool adapted to compress sleeves on wires, the combination of a pair of movable jaw members each having. opposing compressing portions for engaging and compressing the sleeves on the wires, link means positioned adjacent the jaw members and relatively close to the opposing compressing por-' tions,, two spaced substantially parallel fulcrum means engaging the link means and pivotally supporting the jaw members, the part of the compressing portions most removed from the fulcrum means moving through a greater path and producing a greater flow of :metal in the compressed sleeve than the part of the compressing portions less removed from the fulcrum means and thus setting up a bending action in the sleeve, and sleeve engaging means having an edge portion spaced from the jaw members, said compressing portions upon the closing of the jaw members moving in a direction toward the sleeve engaging means and causing the sleeve to engage the said edge portion thereof to submovable jaw members and said edge portion of the sleeve engaging means directly transmitting at spaced distances apart opposing bending forces to the sleeve for maintaining the sleeve substantially straight.

3. In a toggle action compression tool adapted to compress sleeves on wires, the combination of a pair of movable jaw members each having opposing compressing portions for engaging and compressing the sleeves on the wires, link means positioned adjacent the jaw members and relatively close to the opposing compressing por- 5 tions, two' spaced substantially parallel fulcrum means engaging the link means and pivotally' supporting the jaw members, the part of the compressing portions most removed from the fulcrum means moving through a greater path and producing a greater flow of metal in the compressed sleeve than the part of the compressing portions less removed from the fulcrum means andthus setting up a bending action in the sleeve, and sleeve engaging means having an edge portion spaced from the jaw members, said compressing portions upon the closing of the jaw members moving in a direction toward the sleeve engaging means and causing the sleeve to engage the said edge portion thereof to substantially off-set the bending action in the sleeve produced by the compression thereof by the movable jaw members, said sleeve engaging means being an integral part of the link means, said compression portions of the movable jaw members and said edge portion of the sleeve engaging means 'directly transmitting at spaced distances apart opposing bending forces to the sleeve for maintaining the sleeve substantially straight.

4. In a toggle action compression tool adapted to compress sleeves ,on wires, the combination of a pair of movable jaw. members each having opposing compressing portions for engaging and fcompressing the sleeves on the wires, link means 5' positioned adjacent the jaw members and relatively close to the opposing compressing portions, two spaced substantially parallel fulcrum means engaging the link means and pivotally supporting the jaw members, the part of the compress- 40 ing portions mpst removed from the fulcrum meansmoving through a greater path and pro- I V 'ducing a greater flow of metal in the compressed sleeve than the part of the compressing portions less removed from the fulcrum means and thus setting up a bending action in the sleeve, said link means having an edge portion spaced from the jaw members, said compressing portions upon the closing of the jaw members moving in a dito substantially ofif-set the bending action in the sleeve produced by the compression thereof by the movable jaw members, said compression portions of the movable jaw members and said edge portion of the sleeve engaging means directly transmitting at spaced distances apart opposing bending, forces to the sleeve for maintaining the sleeve substantially straight.

5. In a compression tool adapted to compress sleeves on wires, the combination of a pair of fulcrumed movable jaw members having opposing compressing portions for engaging and com-,

pressing the sleeves on the wires, the part of the compressing portions most removed from ;the fulcrum moving through a greater path and producing a greater flow of metal in the compressed sleeve than the part of"the compressing portions less removed from the fulcrum and thus setting'up'a bending action in the sleeve, and

sleeve vengag'ing means" having an edge portion spaced from the jawmembers, said compressing portions upon the closing of the jaw members moving in a direction toward the sleeve enga 78 means and causing the sleeve to engage the rection toward the said edgeportion and caus-' ing the sleeve toiengage the saidedge portionv said edge portion thereof to substantially off-set the bending action in the sleeve produced by the compression thereof by the movable jaw members, said compression portions of the movable jaw members and said edge portion of the sleeve engaging means directly transmitting at spaced distances apart opposing bending forces to the sleeve for maintaining the sleeve substantially straight.

6. In a toggle action compression tool adapted to compress sleeves on wires, the combination of a pair of movable Jaw members each having opposing compressing portions for engaging and compressing the sleeves on the wires, link means positioned adjacent the law members and relatively close to the opposing compressing portions, two spaced substantially parallel fulcrum means engaging the link means and pivotally supporting the jaw members, the part of the compressing portions most removed from the fulcrum means moving through a greater path and producing a greater flow of metal in the compressed sleeve than the part of the compressing portions less removed from the fulcrum means and thus setting up a bending action in the sleeve, said link means having an edge portion spaced from the Jaw members, said edge portion extending from, and comprising an integral part of, the link I means, said compressing portions upon the closing of the law members moving in a direction toward the said edge portion and causing the sleeve to engage the said edge portion to substantially off-set the bending action in the sleeve LEIOY H. BURNS. 

